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I enjoy the indie trend, but those games are incapable of providing as fleshed out of a single-player experience like Skyrim, or a super in-depth multiplayer game like Halo with all of its dev support (saved videos of matches, crazy stat tracking, etc.).

I do still like the big production games. I mean hell, if i couldnt have games like Assassins Creed, Infamous, Ni No Kuni, X-Com and Xenoblade Chronicles, i'd probably survive, but i think i would actually enjoy gaming less.

Dont get me wrong, i love some of the more "indie" styled games like Terraria, Dungeon Defenders, Orcs Must Die...and other things i cant think of at the moment, but i think i would not be as big of a gamer as I am.

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I feel that we're getting closer and closer to a place where it's a perfect mix. For too long I think that every studio was trying to make giant AAA games, when that's not necessarily what players want every game to be.

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I feel that we're getting closer and closer to a place where it's a perfect mix. For too long I think that every studio was trying to make giant AAA games, when that's not necessarily what players want every game to be.

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What needs to happen is for there to be a healthy "B-grade, mid-tier" segment.

Not every game needs to be a $60 AAAA+ extravaganza and this is what is KILLING developers. Many games have withered and died because they were these B-grade games being offered at AAAA+ $60 prices points.

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What needs to happen is for there to be a healthy "B-grade, mid-tier" segment.

Not every game needs to be a $60 AAAA+ extravaganza and this is what is KILLING developers. Many games have withered and died because they were these B-grade games being offered at AAAA+ $60 prices points.

What needs to happen is for there to be a healthy "B-grade, mid-tier" segment.

Not every game needs to be a $60 AAAA+ extravaganza and this is what is KILLING developers. Many games have withered and died because they were these B-grade games being offered at AAAA+ $60 prices points.

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What needs to happen is for there to be a healthy "B-grade, mid-tier" segment.

Not every game needs to be a $60 AAAA+ extravaganza and this is what is KILLING developers. Many games have withered and died because they were these B-grade games being offered at AAAA+ $60 prices points.

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I dunno if we're going to get those B games anymore though. The devs suited to make those can't survive in the market anymore - hell even THQ just went down. It doesn't seem as though there is room for those middle ground games, or at least to a significant degree.

I guess I could see some of the indie devs perhaps graduating to bigger budgets over time, but that doesn't really seem to be their agenda in the first place.

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What does suck is the lack of the lesser games like Psy-ops and what not. I miss the BBB games, but in no way would I sacrifice the big studios to bring those lesser titles back. I don't bother with indie games, why waste my time when I can play kick ass big games like Witcher 2, Halo 4, Skyrim, Batman, Mario, Killzone, Portal, etc.

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While charging less than the $60.00 for a B level game would help sales, it probably still wouldn't save it in the long run. When people read reviews or impressions of games, and get the impression it's a B level game, it's always, I'll wait for it to go to the bargain bin.

Biggest problem with the mid level games is just that so many games out there can last an eternity to play. You can play a game like Skyrim for hundreds of hours. Borderlands has lasted me tons of play time. If you are into multiplayer games, Call of Duty, BF3, Halo, all can give you days upon days of playtime. You just don't have time for these mediocre experiences. It's either go big or go home really. If you read mediocre reviews and it doesn't scream, "must play", people just pass on it or wait til it hits bargain bin, which kills smaller more courageous devs.

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I dunno if we're going to get those B games anymore though. The devs suited to make those can't survive in the market anymore - hell even THQ just went down. It doesn't seem as though there is room for those middle ground games, or at least to a significant degree.

I guess I could see some of the indie devs perhaps graduating to bigger budgets over time, but that doesn't really seem to be their agenda in the first place.

The reason is because those games had AAAA+ budgets in the first place which means that they HAD to be priced at the $60 price point even though in reality they were B-tier games.

You mentioned THQ which is very appropriate because the clearest example of this is Homefront. There is absolutely no way that Homefront should have been priced as a $60 AAAA+ title, but it had to be because THQ/Kaos allowed costs to spiral out of control for the game.

I'm pretty sure that if THQ had kept Homefront's budgets under control and priced the game at $45 to $50, then it would have had far greater viability.

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yeah, Homefront was a horrible idea. And I agree, I think the studios themselves are largely to blame.

I think the indie trend has perhaps shown these devs that can't afford to go all out like that that they shouldn't be trying to copy the big guns, but they should have tried to make their own unique games and made responsible financial decisions with marketing and whatnot.

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Definitely, but I don't want more indie games. I want professional developers with smaller teams and modest budgets, like it was in the past.

Most indie games are wearing thing, aside from a handful of titles a year, and the big budget games are designed for the broadest audience possible. I want smaller, focused experiences that appeal to a specific audience and doesn't compromise on vision.

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I love a good indie game but I enjoy having the choice of playing a big budget game as well. I think we will always have huge AAA games but it will be for established franchises only, we will see publishers take less and less risks with new IPs.

IMO it's heading this direction anyway. With iOS games doing so well and being so cheap to develop and distribute, games could all be this way in another 10 years. Plus with so many longstanding companies going under its more proof that there just isn't enough money there to support big studios and AAA games like there used to be.

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I think itd be ok..lately ive been hitting hard the old school games. Like im replaying Baldurs Gate and this to me is a game that most likely wouldnt require a massive studio, least i dont think, and im in love with the game. The story, atmosphere and music is so engaging.

There was a time when i probably would of said i cant live without big production games, but more and more with how im loving the old style of games that MADE me love games to begin with, im starting to lean towards them at least for now a bit more.

Now im not saying i dont love some kickass gaming, this isnt about that. Its just if big production type games werent coming out anymore, I think id be just as happy. Some of these kickstarter games are also looking so fun, again im not sure how big of a production some require but im sort of meaning with all this that if the big games like halo, assassins creed, god of war etc...if these types of releases became a thing of the past how happy would some of you be.